Michael

You can’t think your way into acting positively, but you can act your way into thinking positively. – Nido Qubein

Though I believe you can think your way into acting positively, “acting” can be a great technique to help you think and be more positive. Let me explain.

Sometimes we just need a nudge, a little push towards being more positive. Most of us are closer than we might believe. You can’t get to a more positive state by complaining about something or anything for that matter.

If you are not in a good mood, try to picture in your mind’s eye, using your imagination, what you would do if you were more positive. How would you act differently? How would you interact with people? What would it be like at work? Would you do anything differently during your day? Would you start a project, learn something new or start a hobby?

Now, go out and do what you just imagined. Monitor your feelings while doing these activities. If your mood is not moving towards the positive, then try something else. While “acting” don’t forget to imagine how good this is supposed to feel.

It sounds crazy, but it works more times than not. Add this technique to your tool bag for getting to happiness.

Michael

The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams. – Oprah Winfrey

The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure. – Joseph Campbell

I had decided today would be a day of hiking, geocaching and adventure. I left mid morning and headed to Conanicut Island where Jamestown, RI is located. There were many areas in the south central part of the island I hadn’t explored.

Fort Wetherill State Park was my first destination. I explored the many trails in this park. I found some strange geological formations in the form of very long quartz veins running through the rock on the coast. I discovered that this entire area was once part of Africa over 500 million years ago. The fort has history all the way back to the American Revolution. The views across Narragansett Bay were stunning.

After a short break for a snack and water, I drove north a few miles and discovered an historical cemetery. I then proceeded south again to Fort Getty State Park. I discovered huge coastal estuaries harboring many species of birds and animals. I walked the rocky coasts exploring the nooks and crannies.

Finally, I drove around almost aimlessly and found new beaches, new bird sanctuaries, harbors and more interesting history.

The point is that adventure is a close as you want it to be. I experienced all of this in a day and it was only 20 miles from my house. You don’t have to fly or drive long distances. All you have to do is get out of the house and ask yourself, “What’s around the next turn?”

Change your routine. Go have some fun.

Michael

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow. – Edward Sandford Martin

Thanksgiving comes to us out of the prehistoric dimness, universal to all ages and all faiths.  At whatever straws we must grasp, there is always a time for gratitude and new beginnings. – J. Robert Moskin

Grace isn’t a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It’s a way to live. – Attributed to Jacqueline Winspear

Ah!! The day after Thanksgiving where recovery from eating lots of food can be the primary goal of the day. For others, it’s the biggest shopping day of the year. I typically stay away from those areas.

For me, today was a day of rest, watching movies, relaxing, more eating, taking a walk and visiting with friends.

The important lesson is to be thankful every single day. Find something to be thankful about and relish in those feelings for as long as possible. Make this a daily thing you do.

I started today. What about you?

Michael

Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. – Oprah Winfrey

Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses. – Unknown

I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose. – Woody Allen

I have many external things I could list here that I’m very thankful for; family, friends, “stuff” and etc. But, what I’m most thankful for is my own life. Not just the breathing, walking, being alive part but the entire journey that I’ve been gifted.

Every decision, every turn in the road, every “mistake”, every chance meeting, every relationship, every trial and tribulation, every experience has lead me to this very moment. No regrets. No worries. Just being.

l have no desire for another person’s life nor do I want to change any of mine. It’s all good.

The more I enjoy exactly who and where I am at this very moment, the more I’m assured that will continue. Simply stated I know, but it took some years to get here. Though, looking back, it didn’t have to.

The most powerful gift you can give yourself is the gift of being thankful for your life.

Have a great day!

Michael

The tool of appreciation is a great technique for increasing your level of happiness, improving your state of being and shifting your attitude towards something more positive. You can either perform this process with internal dialogue or write it down.

The technique is very simple. Pick a subject, topic, idea, person, thing or etc. For whatever you picked, think or write down everything that you appreciate about it. Go for as long as possible. Set a goal for 5 or 10 minutes. The more things you find to appreciate, the better this technique will work.

You will find, typically very quickly, that your mood will elevate, negative emotion will lessen and you will just feel better all over. It can be quite astounding at times. Another great feature of this technique is that you can do it anywhere and at anytime; while driving (don’t write, obviously), at work, at home, while walking, before going to bed and when you arise.

In fact, this is a great technique to do before falling asleep and upon rising in the morning. You will go to sleep with more positive thoughts and then start your day on a brighter note.

As you gain experience with the tool of appreciation, pick things to appreciate that you feel negative emotion towards. Over time you will start to see your feelings about these things change which ultimately means how you relate to this thing will change.

Have a great day!

Michael

I once wanted to become an atheist, but I gave up – they have no holidays. – Henry Youngman

It’s that time of year in the United States for two of our largest holidays. Thanksgiving is two days away and Christmas is just around the corner. These are my favorite holidays.

I love getting together with family and friends, preparing special dishes to eat, playing games, talking, eating some more, giving and receiving presents, watching movies and relaxing.

It’s a time to be thankful for all we have and cherish the time we have to share it. My favorite part though is all the laughter. I find it contagious and try to make it last as long as possible.

I also remember all the past holiday gatherings and the wonderful times we experienced together. I can’t wait to add another memory to the bucket full I already carry.

Have a great day!

Michael

In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed. – Charles Darwin

My good friend Nat talked a little about collaboration a couple of days ago. Today, he and I met to work on our upcoming book. It used to amaze me how well we collaborate and create together. Now, I simply expect it. Only once in 7 years have we not been able to come up with new ideas. I’m assuming we needed that one example of collaboration not working to have the contrast for all the other times.

I love to work with someone else and collaborate on a project. I really do. The exponential increase in brain power and activity is truly a miracle. It’s like watching a positive feedback loop where it just gets better and better the longer it goes on.

I’m very comfortable working alone but I thoroughly enjoy working with one or more people on something that has never been done before. I’ve had that opportunity many times over the last several years. I don’t think I will ever be bored doing that type of work.

If we could only step back and celebrate the diversity of our species, we’ll find there is literally nothing that we cannot accomplish. Miracles are as close as the next thought.

Have a great day!

Michael

There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you…. In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself. – Ruth Stout

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:  it is the time for home. – Edith Sitwell

For over a week it has been quite cold up here in New England. Temperatures dipping to the low 20’s Fahrenheit at night with a wind chill factor in the low teens. Even though the winter solstice is over a month away, winter has settled in for what seems like a long visit.

As I’ve mentioned many times in previous posts, I love all the seasons. I think part of the reason is that there were really only 2 or 3 seasons where I’m from. I really enjoy the definitive seasons that you can have in the northern latitudes.

I always withdraw during the winter months. I don’t mean I get quiet and unsocial. I mean that I become more active internally or mentally. I read and study more than other times. I enjoy being home. I think a lot (even more than usual). I review the past year and start visualizing what I might desire for the coming year

I don’t usually complain about the cold and definitely not about the snow. I guess the bottom line is that I enjoy the cycles of nature and the dramatic changes that happen. I adapt and change with them.

It’s really that simple for me.

Have a great day!

Michael

For quite some time I have had the desire to learn two Neil Young songs that I really love. The first is called “Look Out for My Love“; specifically the version performed by Neil on his Neil Young – MTV Unplugged CD. The second is called “Love to Burn“. I like the live electric version of this song played on the CD Neil Young – Weld with Crazy Horse. But, I had a perception or belief that they were too advanced for me. So, I put off even trying to learn them.

That is, until today. I downloaded the music and lyrics for these two songs and sat down with my guitar and started learning them while playing along with Neil on my CD player. I find that you learn a lot when playing with someone who is a lot better than you.

I was quite surprised by myself. In about an hour I had learned two thirds of Look Out for My Love and half of Love to Burn. Wow! What a great feeling. It felt like breaking through a mental barrier. I now have a different belief about learning new music. Plus, and this is the big bonus, it was a lot of fun.

It’s a simple lesson. Until you sit down and try something you’ll never know what you can do. I thought I had learned that lesson, but apparently I need to repeat it on a regular basis. It was a great way to open up my eyes to other possibilities unrelated to playing a song on the guitar.

Michael

There is a secret person undamaged in every individual. – Paul Shepard

I’m a firm believer that inside all of us, the core of our being is free from all the restrictions we have placed on ourselves. Fear doesn’t exist in this individual. Obstacles have been removed. Love of the self is constant. This individual flows with the river of life.

Every single one of us has this pure version of ourselves just waiting to get out. The important thing is that this inside individual is not really separate and is available to us right now. We just have to make the decision to make contact.

I believe by consistently turning towards feeling a little bit better when we are feeling negative emotion is one path to making a connection to our inner selves. If you view your feelings as just an indicator of how close you are to your inner being, you can adjust when you are not feeling well.

It doesn’t take a lot of effort and it doesn’t mean that you have to move from depression to bliss. Small steps. Depression to anger. Anger to frustration. Little steps. Figure out ways to turn your thoughts to something a little bit better. That’s all it takes. Each turn towards a more positive thought brings you that much closer to your true self who is really never any further than what you are thinking. Remember, I don’t mean to convince yourself you are okay with something that is negative to you. I mean to find a way to change your focus to something more positive that you can believe in.

Try this for a few days and see how you feel.

Michael